Device for tilting stones

ABSTRACT

A device for tilting split stones, which have a broken structure on at least one surface such that a surface which is orientated laterally before the tilting process, is rotated to form the upper side of the stone after the tilting process. At least one receptacle is provided for a row of stones, the receptacle having a first bottom surface on which the row of stones rests in an initial position, and a second bottom surface on which the row of stones rests in an end position after the tilting process. A rotational axis extends along a connecting point between the two bottom surfaces and about which the receptacle is rotated to tilt the stones. An actuator is moved linearly and engages one of the two bottom surfaces such that the receptacle rotated about the rotational axis as a function of the linear movement of the actuator device.

This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/776,312, filed Feb. 23, 2006, which claims priority from German Application Serial No. 10 2006 007 513.7 filed Feb. 16, 2006.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a device for tilting stones, in particular split stones, which have a broken structure on one surface in such a way that a surface which is orientated laterally before the tilting forms the upper side of the stone after the tilting. The invention also relates to a method for artificially aging split stones.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Walls, particularly for landscape architecture, are preferably manufactured from natural or artificial stones which are provided on the visible side with a surface structure with an irregular relief and/or broken edges such as are produced, for example, by manually dressing natural stones.

The use of split stones, preferably made of concrete, is also known in this context. Untreated stones which originate from stone production can be fed in layers to a splitting device in which the untreated stones are preferably cut in half. The cut stones resulting from this process are frequently referred to as split stones. These split stones have a surface structure with an irregular relief due to the cutting process on the side on which they have been broken. Split stones are frequently required to have no sharp edges either when they are manufactured from concrete or when they are natural stones which have been split. Irrespective of this, further treatment of the broken structure is often also desired. In this respect, devices for aging stones are also known from the general prior art. Reference is made in this respect to DE 20 2004 020 206.9, for example. Furthermore, a large number of other methods for aging stones are known from the general prior art.

When stones are aged, in particular if they are split stones, the problem arises that the surface of the stone to be processed, i.e. generally the side of the stone which will later be the visible one, does not form the upper side of the stone after it leaves production. In the case of what are referred to as split stones this is due to the fact that these are generally formed from an untreated stone or block by cutting this block into two halves. Such splitting methods are known adequately from the general prior art. Splitting the untreated block into two split stones causes the split surfaces of the resulting stones to be arranged laterally and aligned with one another.

Two different methods are known for processing the surface resulting from the splitting and processing general stones whose surface to be processed is oriented laterally. One possible way is to use aging methods which permit lateral processing of the stones by means of corresponding processing tools. Such methods are however costly and not efficient. In the case of split stones there is also the fact that the stones with the broken surfaces which are aligned with one another firstly have to be separated spatially from one another to such an extent that the processing tools can engage at all. The second possible way of processing or aging lateral surfaces of stones is to raise said stones by means of appropriate gripping tools and put them down in such a way that the surface to be processed forms the upper side of the stone. DD 229 977 A1 discloses a vacuum gripping device for concrete paving slabs. DE 41 01 402 A1 discloses a rotating gripper which is used in devices and methods for manufacturing vertical wall boards in order to raise the wall stones and put them down again in the desired position. Raising stones and putting them down again by means of a vacuum device or a rotating gripper has the disadvantage of being expensive, susceptible to faults and time consuming. However, it permits effective and known aging methods which act on the upper side of the stones to be used. From the general prior art a large number of aging methods are known which act on the upper side of the stones. A particularly suitable method can be found in DE 20 2004 020 206.9.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is based on the object of providing a device for tilting stones, in particular split stones, which makes it possible to tilt the stones quickly, effectively and reliably in such a way that a surface which was previously orientated laterally forms the upper side of the stone after the tilting.

The present invention is also based on the object of providing a method for artificially aging split stones, which makes it possible to carry out post-treatment on the split stone surface quickly, effectively and cost-effectively in order to smooth the resulting fractured edges and/or give the stone an aged appearance.

The present invention also provides a device with which it is possible in a simple, fast and effective way to tilt a complete row of stones such that a surface which is orientated laterally before the tilting forms the upper side of the stone after the tilting. In one simple embodiment the device only requires a receptacle which is formed from two bottom surfaces so that the stones can rest on a first bottom surface before the tilting and rest on the second bottom surface after the tilting. The receptacle is arranged in a rotatable and pivotable fashion here such that the rotational axis runs along the connecting point or in the spatial vicinity of the connecting point between the two bottom surfaces, i.e. at the location where they adjoin one another. According to the invention, the rotational movement is easily initiated by an actuator device which can be moved essentially linearly and engages on a bottom surface. The actuator device does not need to engage directly on the bottom surface here but rather can be connected to said bottom surface via an activation lever or another corresponding extension. This can have advantages depending on the arrangement of the actuator device. In one particularly favorable embodiment it is possible to provide for the tilting of the receptacle from an initial position into the end position and back to be carried out exclusively by the actuator device. In this case, a suitable arrangement of the actuator device or, if appropriate, the use of activation levers or other extensions which are connected to a bottom surface have to ensure that in any position the actuator device can apply a force which brings about a rotational movement of the receptacle.

As has become apparent, this can be implemented structurally without further problems.

The pushing up of the row of stones, which can also be composed merely of one stone in one particularly simple embodiment, can be done with known pusher devices which can have, for example, mandrels, swords or push rods. After the stones have been tilted, the pushing out can also, if appropriate, be carried out with the same pushing device. For this, it may be necessary for the pushing device or the receptacles to be slightly corrected in terms of their position with respect to one another so that an offset resulting from the tilting of the stones is compensated, it being possible for such an offset to be caused by the height of the stones and the width of the stones being different. However, suitable orientation of the pushing device with respect to the receptacle may also make it possible to push stones in and out without correcting offset.

A row of stories, which is tilted with the receptacle, preferably corresponds to a row of stones of a production layer of stones in the form in which they have usually left the previous production stage. It is advantageous here if the number of receptacles corresponds to the number of rows of stones of a production layer.

In one particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention it is also possible to provide that a receptacle pair is formed from two receptacles in each case, the free longitudinal ends of the first bottom surfaces of the receptacles being connected to one another in an articulated fashion. “Free longitudinal ends” of the bottom surfaces are to be understood as the ends facing away from the connecting point of the two bottom surfaces of a receptacle.

This development according to the invention has decisive advantages for all the stones to be placed in an upright position, in particular however for split stones. As already described, split stones are generally manufactured from an untreated block by cutting this block into two halves. These two halves lie right next to one another spatially and can thus easily be pushed into a receptacle pair. The receptacle pair is given the form of a channel by virtue of the fact that the two receptacles are connected to one another by their free ends of the first bottom surfaces. It is thus easily possible to introduce two rows of split stones. Furthermore, if it is provided that the rotational axes which are formed in each case between the two bottom surfaces of a receptacle are arranged in a moveable fashion on a carrier, and the actuator device engages in a region in which the two receptacles are connected to one another in an articulated fashion, and moves this region upward, the two receptacles of the receptacle pair are pivoted or rotated so that the stones are tilted in the way provided according to the invention. At the same time, the articulated connection between the two receptacles of a receptacle pair ensures that the distance between them does not become larger. This means that when the end position is reached, the rows of stones are tilted but are still arranged closely adjacent to one another in spatial terms. If the rows of stones are then pushed out of the receptacles in order, for example, to be fed to an aging station, this small distance between the rows of stones is advantageous both for processing and so that they become stabilized with respect to one another. It is particularly advantageous here, if a plurality of receptacles are provided, that the free end of the second bottom surface, facing away from the connecting point to the first bottom surface, is connected to a corresponding end of a further adjacent receptacle. This further receptacle can preferably likewise be a receptacle of a receptacle pair. A chain can thus be formed from one, two, three or more receptacles or receptacle pairs which are all connected to one another in an articulated fashion. If in the process it is additionally provided that the rotational axes of the receptacles are moveably arranged on a carrier, it is ensured that the receptacles are pushed together both in the initial position and in the end position.

It is advantageous if the receptacles which adjoin one another in the initial position in which the rows of stones rest in each case on the first bottom surfaces are orientated with respect to one another in a mirror inverted fashion in such a way that the free longitudinal ends of the bottom surfaces each adjoin free longitudinal ends of the same bottom surfaces. The free ends can preferably be connected here by means of joints in such a way that the receptacles are tilted in a positively guided fashion by the induced rotational movement and the joints in such a way that the receptacles which adjoin one another in the end position are orientated with respect to one another in a mirror inverted fashion in such a way that the free longitudinal ends of the bottom surfaces each adjoin free longitudinal ends of the same bottom surfaces. Such an arrangement and linking of the receptacles to one another makes it possible to tilt the rows of stones particularly effectively.

If the receptacles which are connected to one another are in each case receptacle pairs, it has proven particularly suitable if the actuator device engages in each case in the region between the first bottom surfaces of two adjoining receptacles of a receptacle pair (for example at their articulated connection). The actuator device can thus raise the free longitudinal ends of the first bottom surfaces. Raising these ends and the rotational movement which is induced as a result owing to the rotational axes lowers the free ends of the second bottom surfaces which are, if appropriate, connected via an articulated connection to an adjoining free end of a second bottom surface of a further receptacle.

It is not absolutely necessary for, in each case, only receptacle pairs to be connected to one another by means of the articulated connections in the described way. In particular, receptacle pairs are (also) frequently connected to individual receptacles in stone layers, which are composed of an uneven number of rows of stones. The term individual receptacle is to be understood here as meaning that there is just one receptacle and not a receptacle pair.

It is also conceivable here that only individual receptacles, and not complete receptacle pairs, are connected to one another so that said receptacles carry out a uniform rotational movement. However, in this context additional activation levers that make the construction structurally more complex are required.

Irrespective of whether there are individual receptacles or receptacle pairs, it has proven advantageous if the rotational axes can be moved or slid along the carrier horizontally or transversely with respect to the profile of the rotational axis. For this purpose, the carrier can, for example, have a rail and the rotational axis can be provided with corresponding rollers or pivot points. This easily ensures that the receptacles can move with respect to one another in such a way that the receptacles are moveable with respect to one another in such a way that they can be slid together, in an at least approximately adjoining fashion, both before and after the tilting process.

The described connection between the receptacle pairs and the individual receptacles by means of the respective free ends of the bottom surfaces thus results in positive guidance.

The actuator device can be embodied in different ways. The actuator device can also be arranged in virtually any desired way, in particular if the bottom surfaces are provided with activation levers and the like. In trials, three different variants have proven particularly suitable.

In a first embodiment it is possible to provide for the actuator device to have a lifting device, for example an elevating platform, from which an extension arm, for example a metal rod, leads to each receptacle pair or to each individual receptacle. The essentially linear movement of the actuator device is generated here by the lifting device. The extension arms can thus be of rigid design, i.e. they do not need to carry out their own movement in addition to the lifting movement of the lifting device. If the lifting device is then moved upward and the extension arms engage, for example, on articulated connections between two receptacles of a receptacle pair, the articulated connections are pressed upward in the way already described and the receptacles are thus rotated and the rows of stones tilted. In order to move the receptacles back again from the end position into the initial position it is sufficient to lower the lifting device again.

In a second embodiment it is possible to provide for the actuator device for each receptacle pair or each individual receptacle to have an activation cylinder. For this embodiment, no additional lifting device is necessary but a number of activation cylinders which are predefined by the number of receptacle pairs or individual receptacles is necessary. The principle remains the same here. The activation cylinders can easily be arranged underneath the receptacles in such a way that they press the receptacles essentially perpendicularly or vertically upward by means of a linear movement.

Both in the embodiment of the actuator device with an elevating platform and extension arms and in the embodiment with activation cylinders, it has proven advantageous if the extension arms or the activation cylinders are arranged so as to be rotatable and/or slidable at their end facing away from the receptacles. In trials it has become apparent that the receptacles move apart somewhat at the start of the rotational movement so that it is advantageous if the extension arms and the activation cylinders also permit this essentially horizontal movement, if only to a small degree, in order to avoid stresses. A rotational arrangement of the extension arms or of the activation cylinders is easily possible here. However, alternatively it is also possible to guide the extension arms and the activation cylinders at their ends facing away from the receptacles in rails or the like so that the extension arms and/or the activation cylinders can move horizontally together with the receptacles. The arrangement can be effected here in rails of the carrier, in a way which is for example analogous with the arrangement of the rotational axes. However, other structural embodiments are also possible here.

In a third advantageous embodiment, the actuator arrangement can have an activation cylinder for each receptacle pair or each individual receptacle, said activation cylinder being arranged so that it extends at an angle, for example an angle of 45°, with respect to the horizontal. In this case it has proven advantageous if the activation cylinder engages on an activation lever which is connected at an angle to the respective receptacle in a region at which the rotational axis is also located. It is advantageous here if the angle between the activation cylinder and the activation lever is on average 90°, i.e. is correspondingly larger or smaller in the initial position or the end position. An average value of 90° has proven suitable in order to ensure that the activation cylinder can exert sufficient force on the activation lever, and thus on the receptacle, in every position so that said receptacle can be rotated or pivoted without further support.

Irrespective of the specific embodiment of the actuator device it has proven advantageous if it can be activated hydraulically, pneumatically or electrically.

According to the invention, it is possible to provide a supporting device which pulls apart the receptacle from the end position into the initial position before it is reset.

Depending on the arrangement and action of the actuator device it may be advantageous, in order to avoid stresses, if it is ensured by means of an additional supporting device that the receptacles are pulled apart somewhat before they are rotated back into the initial position from the end position. A correspondingly suitable selection of the arrangement of the actuator device or its pulling direction can also allow a supporting device to be dispensed with. The supporting device can be embodied, for example, as an activation cylinder which extends underneath the receptacles and applies a force so that the receptacles are pulled apart at right angles or transversely with respect to their longitudinal axis. The activation cylinder can engage at suitable locations on the receptacles here. It is particularly suitable here if the activation cylinder is provided between the two outermost receptacles. Owing to the articulated connections between the receptacles, all the receptacles are pulled apart as soon as the two outermost receptacles move away from one another. Of course, the supporting device can also have a plurality of activation cylinders.

In one embodiment of the invention it is also possible to provide for the two outermost receptacles each to have a guide at the end of the second bottom surface facing away from the first bottom surface. After the stones are tilted in such a way that they rest on the second bottom surface, the guide has the effect of preventing the rows of stones from falling out of the receptacle. The guide can be embodied here, for example, as a simple piece of sheet metal. A small height of the guide is sufficient here. Such guides are advantageous only at the two outer receptacles since the rows of stones of the inner receptacles are supported on one another.

It is advantageous if the guide is set back in the region in which the rows of stones can be inserted into the receptacle. It is thus possible to avoid the pushing direction which inserts the rows of stones into the receptacle being impeded by the guide.

According to the device which has channel shaped receptacles, an alternative possibility to the device according to the invention described above is presented for tilting stones in such a way that a surface which is oriented laterally before the tilting forms the upper side of the stone after the tilting. The rows of stones are moved here from an inlet to an outlet through the channel shaped receptacle, for example pushed by means of a pushing device. The profile of the walls of the channel shaped receptacle ensures here that the stones are tilted continuously into the end position provided. The stones are thus forcibly pressed or pushed into the corresponding position by the pressure which is generated by the continuously changing profile of the walls of the channel shaped receptacle.

It is advantageous if a plurality of channel shaped receptacles are provided.

Here there is provision that after the known splitting process the stones are fed to one of the devices described above, after which the broken surface which results from the splitting process is placed in an upright position so that it forms the upper side of the stone. The stones are then fed to an aging region in which the broken surface of the stone, which now forms the upper side of the stone, is placed in contact with processing tools which act in an aging fashion on the upper side of the stones. A particularly suitable aging method is obtained from DE 20 2004 020 206.9. It is particularly advantageous here if the processing tools are a plurality of impacting elements which are essentially freely moveable and if the stones and the impacting elements are made to move with respect to one another by the induction of vibrations in such a way that the impacting elements act on the upper side and the adjoining edges of the stones.

It is particularly advantageous here if the impacting elements are essentially freely moveable by virtue of a moveable attachment, in each case within a defined region of the upper side of the stones.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An exemplary embodiment of the invention is illustrated in basic form by reference to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a device according to the invention with three receptacle pairs in an initial position in which the stones, which are located in the receptacles, rest on a first bottom surface of the receptacles;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the device according to the invention from above according to the direction 11 of the arrow in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the device according to the invention in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, during the tilting process;

FIG. 4 is a front view of the device according to the invention in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, in an end position in which the tilted rows of stones rest on the second bottom surfaces of the receptacles;

FIG. 5 is a left hand side view of the device according to the invention according to the direction V of the arrow in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a front view of an alternative embodiment to FIG. 1 of the device according to the invention with two receptacle pairs and an embodiment of the lifting device with two activation cylinders;

FIG. 7 is a front view of a further embodiment which is an alternative to FIG. 1 and in which extension arms, which are connected to a lifting device, are connected to the lifting device in a moveable fashion such that the extension arms can be moved transversely with respect to the receptacles;

FIG. 8 is a basic view of an activation cylinder which engages on a receptacle via an activation lever;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of an alternative device according to the invention for tilting stones, channel shaped receptacles being provided whose walls extend in such a way that the stones tilt continuously into the provided end position while they are moved from an inlet to an outlet of the receptacle; and

FIG. 10 is a perspective illustration of a channel shaped receptacle according to the invention which is illustrated in FIG. 9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The devices according to the invention which are described below for tilting stones are particularly suitable for use in a method for artificially aging split stones such as is known, for example, from DE 20 2004 020 206.9. Reference to the disclosure of the aging method and the corresponding device described in DE 20 2004 020 206.9 is hereby incorporated by referenced thereto. Methods for splitting stones in order to cut an untreated block preferably in half into two broken stones which are referred to below as split stones are likewise sufficiently known from the general prior art, for which reason more details are not given on these below.

Even if the device according to the invention is particularly suitable for use in a method for artificially aging split stones, it is, however, not restricted to this, but instead a plurality of possible uses of the device according to the invention arise in the technical field of masonry.

FIG. 1 shows a device for tilting stones 1, in particular split stones. The split stones have here a broken structure 1 a on one surface. The broken structure 1 a is orientated laterally in an initial position before the tilting. After the tilting, the broken structure 1 a forms the upper side of the stone 1, as is apparent for example from FIG. 5. The device illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 5 has six receptacles 2 for in each case one row 3 of stones. Before the tilting the rows 3 of stones rest in the initial position on a first bottom surface 5 of the receptacles 2 (see FIGS. 1 and 2). In the end position, that is to say after the tilting, the rows 3 of stones rest on a second bottom surface 4 of the receptacles 2 (see FIG. 5). The first bottom surface 5 and the second bottom surface 4 of a receptacle 2 are each connected to one another by means of a connecting point 6 which extends in the longitudinal direction. The first bottom surface 5 can be connected to the second bottom surface 4 by welding, for example. However, it is also equally possible for the first bottom surface 5 and the second bottom surface 4 to be embodied in one piece with one another. The first bottom surface 5 and the second bottom surface 4 can be formed here, for example, by a shaping process or by other known measures. In the exemplary embodiment, the receptacles 2 are formed from metal. The first bottom surface 5 and the second bottom surface 4 extend here essentially at right angles to one another so that the receptacles are embodied in an L shape when viewed in cross section. The width of the first bottom surface 5 and of the second bottom surface 4 is matched to the width of the respectively assigned or bearing surface of the row 3 of stones. Insofar as the rows 3 of stones are formed from stones 1 in which the width of the stone corresponds to the height of the stone, the first bottom surface 5 and the second bottom surface 4 can also have an identical width.

In the exemplary embodiment there is provision that the width of the first bottom surface 5 and of the second bottom surface 4 is not significantly larger than the width of the correspondingly bearing surface of the row 3 of stones. This ensures that the rows of stones only have a small distance between them.

As is apparent from FIGS. 1 to 5, a rotational axis 7 of the receptacles 2 extends essentially along the connecting point 6 between the two bottom surfaces 4, 5 of a receptacle 2. This is achieved in the exemplary embodiment by virtue of the fact that the receptacles 2 are each connected in a rotatable fashion by means of two pivot points 8 to a carrier 9 on which the receptacles 2 rest. The pivot points 8 are embodied in the exemplary embodiment as rollers 8 which are inserted in a rotatable fashion into rails 10 of the carrier 9.

As is also apparent from FIGS. 1 to 5, in each case two receptacles 2 are combined to form one receptacle pair 200. The receptacles 2 which form a receptacle pair 200 are connected to one another in an articulated fashion by their free longitudinal ends 5 a of the first bottom surfaces 5.

The free longitudinal ends 5 a of the first bottom surfaces 5 are the ends of the first bottom surfaces 5 which face away from the connecting point 6.

The connection between the free ends 5 a of the first bottom surfaces 5 is made in the exemplary embodiment by means of two joints 11. The joints 11 can be embodied in any desired way so that it is ensured that the receptacles 2 can be moved or pivoted with respect to one another in the necessary way.

As is also apparent from FIGS. 1 to 5, the receptacle pairs 200 are likewise connected to one another in an articulated fashion. This is done by virtue of the fact that adjoining free longitudinal ends 4 a of the second bottom surfaces 4 are connected to one another. The free longitudinal ends 4 a of the second bottom surfaces 4 are the longitudinal ends, facing away from the connecting point 6, of the second bottom surface 4. The connection between the free longitudinal ends 4 a is made in the exemplary embodiment by means of two joints 12. The joints 12 can be embodied in any desired way so that it is ensured that the receptacles 2 can be rotated or pivoted with respect to one another in the way provided.

As is apparent from FIGS. 1 to 5, in the initial position in which the rows 3 of stones each rest on the first bottom surfaces 5 the receptacles 2 which adjoin one another are orientated with respect to one another in a mirror inverted fashion in such a way that the free longitudinal ends 4 a, 5 a of the bottom surfaces 4, 5 each adjoin free longitudinal ends 4 a, 5 a of the same bottom surfaces 4, 5. As is apparent from FIG. 5, the free ends 4 a, 5 a are connected to one another by means of the joints 11, 12 in such a way that the receptacles 2 are tilted in a positively guided fashion by the induced rotational movement and the joints 11, 12 in such a way that in the end position in which the rows 3 of stones each rest on the second bottom surface 4 the receptacles 2 which adjoin one another are orientated with respect to one another in a mirror inverted fashion in such a way that the free longitudinal ends 4 a, 5 a of the bottom surfaces 4, 5 each adjoin free longitudinal ends 4 a, 5 a of the same bottom surfaces 4, 5.

Pushing together the receptacles in such a way that they at least approximately adjoin one another both in the end position and in the initial position is also made possible by the fact that the pivot points 8 of the receptacles 2 are moveably arranged on the carrier 9, specifically in rails 10. The receptacles 2 can thus be slid along the carrier 9 horizontally or transversely with respect to the rotational axes 7 of the receptacles 2 by means of the pivot points 8.

As is apparent from FIGS. 1 to 5, the rotational movement is induced by an essentially linearly moveable actuator device 13. For this purpose, the actuator device 13 engages on a bottom surface 4, 5 of the receptacle. The direction of rotation about which the receptacle 2 is rotated depends here on the linear movement of the actuator device 13. In the exemplary embodiment, the actuator device 13 engages in each case on a receptacle 2 of a receptacle pair 200. The actuator device 13 is connected in an articulated fashion here to one free longitudinal end 5 a of the first bottom surface 5 of the receptacle 2. The point of engagement is provided with the reference symbol 14 in FIG. 2. Owing to the connection of the receptacles 2 of a receptacle pair 200 by means of the joints 11, one point 14 of engagement on a receptacle 2 is sufficient. The point of engagement 14 is preferably arranged centrally when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the receptacle 2. The actuator device 13 is, according to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 5, provided with a lifting device 15 and extension arms 16. The lifting device 15 is embodied here as an elevating platform from which an extension arm 16 extends to each receptacle pair 200. In principle, one extension arm 16 may also be provided for each receptacle 2. However, in order to manufacture the device cost effectively it has proven advantageous to provide just one extension arm 16 for each receptacle pair 200. The elevating platform 15 is operated pneumatically in the exemplary embodiment.

As is apparent from FIGS. 1 to 5, the rows 3 of stones are tilted by virtue of the fact that the elevating platform 15 is moved vertically or upward. The extension arms 16 press the free longitudinal ends 5 a of the first bottom surfaces 5 upward in the process, as a result of which the pivot points 8 are slid in the rails 10, and owing to the positive guidance of the joints 11, 12 the free longitudinal ends 4 a of the second bottom surfaces 4 are slid downward. As is also apparent from FIGS. 1 to 5, it may be necessary, depending on the formats of the stones, for the extension arms 16 to permit movement of the receptacles 2 at right angles to their longitudinal axis. For this purpose, the extension arms 16 are rotatably connected to the elevating platform 15 at their ends facing away from the receptacles 2. Instead of a rotatable connection, there is provision, according to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 7, for the ends of the extension arms 16 which face away from the receptacles 2 to be provided with rollers 17 which can be pushed or moved in a rail 18 so that the extension arms 16 can follow the movements of the receptacles 2.

As is also apparent from FIGS. 1 to 5, in the exemplary embodiment a supporting device 19 is provided which can move the receptacles 2 apart from one another into the initial position from the end position before resetting. Depending on the arrangement or orientation of the extension arms 16 and of the elevating platform 15 it may also be advantageous if the receptacles 2 are pulled apart from one another into the initial position from the end position by a supporting device 19 before resetting, in order to avoid clamping owing to the direction of force of the elevating platform 15 or of the extension arms 16.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 5, the supporting device 19 is provided with two pneumatic cylinders 19. The pneumatic cylinders 19 are rotatably connected to the carrier 9 at one end, while the other end engages on an outer receptacle 2. The term outer receptacles 2 is understood here to mean the two receptacles 2 which are arranged at the edge of the plurality of receptacles 2. If the pneumatic cylinders 19 are then moved apart, the two outer receptacles 2 are moved away from one another. Owing to the chain shaped connection of all the receptacles 2 via the joints 11, 12, all the receptacles 2 are consequently pulled apart. In principle it may also be sufficient if the supporting device has merely one pneumatic cylinder 19. The two ends of the pneumatic cylinder 19 can each be arranged here at an outer receptacle 2. Of course, it is also possible to use more than two pneumatic cylinders 19.

In principle, the supporting device 19 can also be implemented in a structurally different way, for example by means of other cylinders, a spring system, a Bowden cable or the like.

In FIGS. 3, 4 and 15, a guide 20 is illustrated at the longitudinal free end 4 a of the second bottom surface 4 of the receptacles 2. The guide 20 serves to prevent the stones from falling out of the outer receptacles 2.

As is apparent from FIG. 5, the guide 20 is set back in the region in which the row 3 of stories can be inserted into the receptacle 2. This ensures that a pushing device 24 (as illustrated for example in FIG. 9) does not form an impedance when the row 3 of stones is inserted.

In the exemplary embodiment there is provision for the receptacle pairs 200 to be designed to hold two split stones, the broken structures 1 a of the stones 1 being aligned with one another.

The number of receptacles 2 corresponds in the exemplary embodiment to the number of rows 3 of stones in the form in which they have left a previous production location. The device according to the invention can thus simultaneously place in an upright position, or tilt, an entire production layer of stones 1. In the exemplary embodiment there is provision for the receptacles 2 or the receptacle pairs 200 to be able to be replaced so that the device according to the invention can be adapted to the production layer of stones 1 which is to be respectively placed in an upright position. It is possible to use more or fewer receptacles 2 or receptacle pairs 200. On the other hand, it is also possible to replace the receptacles 2 or the receptacle pairs 200 in order to adapt them to different shapes of stone. The device according to the invention is not restricted here to the stones 1 having side faces which are at an angle of 90° with respect to one another. The angles the bottom surfaces 4, 5 are at, with respect to one another, can be adapted to the angles the side faces of the stones 1 are at with one another. The carrier 9 preferably has a width which permits even large production layers of stones 1 to be held. In use of the device according to the invention in a method for artificially aging stones or a method for surface treating stones it may be advantageous if the stones are tilted back into the original position after their upper side has been processed. This can be done, for example, by the stones 1 being pushed back into the device according to the invention after the upper side has been appropriately processed. In this context it is possible to provide that the device according to the invention is also in the end position and is rotated back into the initial position after it has been filled with the rows of stones. In this position, further transport or stacking of the stones 1 is more easily possible.

Insofar as it is desired to tilt the stones back into the original position, it may be advantageous if two devices according to the invention are used, specifically one device for placing the stones in an upright position before the surface processing and one for tilting the stones back again after the surface processing. The production flow can thus run in one direction and does not need to be reversed.

FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment which is an alternative to FIGS. 1 to 5. The embodiment according to FIG. 6 differs here essentially in that the actuator device 13 has activation cylinders 21. Here, an activation cylinder 21 is provided for each receptacle pair 200 or each individual receptacle 2. An additional lifting device 15 is not necessary here. The principle of tilting the stones 1 is identical to that according to FIGS. 1 to 5 so that the individual features are not described once more. In this case also there is provision for the ends of the activation cylinders 21 which face away from the receptacles 2 to be rotatably arranged. A supporting device 19 is illustrated in FIG. 6 merely by dashed lines and can be embodied in any desired way.

FIG. 8 shows a further alternative embodiment of the actuator device 13. There is provision here for the receptacle 2 or preferably a receptacle 2 of a receptacle pair 200 to be connected to the activation cylinder 21 via an activation lever 22. There is provision here for the activation cylinder 21 and the activation lever 22 to be arranged on average at an angle of 90° with respect to one another. The activation cylinder 21 is rotatably arranged. Sufficient force to cause the receptacle 2 to move rotatably can be applied to said receptacle 2 by the activation cylinder 21 in any position, that is to say in particular also in the initial position and in the end position. In the exemplary embodiment, the activation lever 22 engages on the receptacle 2 in the region of the rotational axis 7.

FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate a further embodiment of the device according to the invention. Here, a channel shaped receptacle 23 is provided into which in each case a row 3 of stones can be inserted. The row 3 of stones has here a plurality of stones 1, but at least one stone 1. The row 3 of stones is moved from an inlet of the channel shaped receptacle 23 to an outlet. For this purpose, a pushing device 24 can be used. The walls 25 of the channel shaped receptacle 23 are embodied or extend here in such a way that the stones 1 of the row 3 of stones tilt continuously into the end position provided while said row 3 of stones is pushed from the inlet to the end of the channel shaped receptacle 23, so that a broken surface 1 a which is orientated laterally before the tilting forms the upper side of the stone 1 after the tilting. The precise profile of the walls 25 of the channel shaped receptacle 23, their inclination and the width of the channel shaped receptacle 23 can be adapted by mechanical measures to the shape of the stones 1 to be tilted.

There is provision for the number of channel shaped receptacles 23 to be adapted to the number of rows 3 of stones of a production layer of stones 1. 

1-27. (canceled)
 28. A device for tilting split stones, which have a broken structure on at least one surface, such that the broken structure surface, which is orientated laterally before a tilting process, forms an upper side of the split stones after the tilting process, the device comprising: at least one receptacle (2) for a row (3) of split stones, the row (3) being formed from at least one split stone (1), the at least one receptacle (2) having at least a first bottom surface (5) on which the row (3) of split stones rests in an initial position before the tilting process, and a second bottom surface (4) on which the row (3) of stones rests in an end position after the tilting process; a rotational axis (7) which extends essentially along a connecting point (6) between the first bottom surface (5) and the second bottom surface (4) and about which the receptacle (2) is rotated to tilt the split stones (1); and an actuator device (13) which is moved essentially linearly and which engages one of the first bottom surface (5) and the second bottom surface (4) in such a way that the receptacle (2) is rotated about the rotational axis (7) as a function of linear movement of the actuator device (13).
 29. The device as claimed in claim 28, wherein a receptacle pair (200) is formed in from two receptacles (2), ends (5 a) of the first bottom surfaces (5) of the receptacles (2) facing away from the connecting point (6) being connected to one another in an articulated fashion.
 30. The device as claimed in claim 29, wherein at least one of a plurality of receptacle pairs (200) and individual receptacles (2) are provided, free longitudinal ends (4 a, 5 a) of the first and the second bottom surfaces (4, 5) which correspond to one another being connected to one another in such that a chain of at least one of the receptacles (2) and the receptacle pairs (200) which are connected to one another is produced.
 31. The device as claimed in claim 28, wherein, in the initial position in which the rows (3) of split stones rest on the first bottom surfaces (5), the receptacles (2) which adjoin one another are orientated with respect to one another in a mirror inverted fashion such that free longitudinal ends (4 a, 5 a) of the first and the second bottom surfaces (4, 5) each adjoin other free longitudinal ends (4 a, 5 a) of the same first and second bottom surfaces (4, 5).
 32. The device as claimed in claim 31, wherein the free longitudinal ends (4 a, 5 a) of the first and the second bottom surfaces (4, 5) are connected to one another by means of joints (11, 12) such that the receptacles (2) are tilted with positive guidance by an induced rotational movement and the joints (11, 12), in such a way that, in the end position in which the rows (3) of split stones each rest on the second bottom surface (4), the receptacles (2) which adjoin one another are orientated with respect to one another in a mirror inverted fashion in such a way that the free longitudinal ends (4 a, 5 a) of the first and the second bottom surfaces (4, 5) each adjoin the other free longitudinal ends (4 a, 5 a) of the first and the second bottom surfaces (4, 5).
 33. The device as claimed in claim 29, wherein one of a number of receptacle pairs (200) and a number of the individual receptacles (2) is selected such that one of the receptacle pairs (200) and the individual receptacles (2) are suitable to accommodate a production site for split stones (1).
 34. The device as claimed in claim 28, wherein the receptacles (2) are arranged on a carrier (9) so as to be moveable by means of pivot points (8) of the rotational axis (7).
 35. The device as claimed in claim 34, wherein the receptacles (2) are displaced horizontally along the carrier (9) by means of the pivot points (8).
 36. The device as claimed in claim 34, wherein the receptacles (2) are moveable with respect to one another in such a way that the receptacles (2) are slid together in an at least approximately adjoining fashion both before and after the tilting process.
 37. The device as claimed in claim 34, wherein receptacle pairs (200) are positively guided by means of a moveable arrangement of the pivot points (8) on the carrier (9) and an arrangement of joints (11) between free longitudinal ends (5 a) of the first bottom surfaces (5) and free longitudinal ends (4 a) of the second bottom surfaces (4) of the receptacles (2) in such a way that the receptacles (2) are slid together in the initial position and the end position by linear movement of an actuator device (13).
 38. The device as claimed in claim 29, wherein an actuator device (13) is connected in an articulated fashion to a free longitudinal end (5 a) of the first bottom surfaces (5) of at least one of the receptacles (2).
 39. The device as claimed in claim 38, wherein the actuator device (13) raises the first bottom surfaces (5) at the free longitudinal ends (5 a).
 40. The device as claimed in claim 29, wherein an actuator device (13) has a lifting device (15) from which an extension arm (16) leads to one of each of the receptacle pair (200) and the individual receptacle (2).
 41. The device as claimed in claim 29, wherein an actuator device (13) has an independent activation cylinder (21) for one of each of the receptacle pair (200) and the individual receptacle (2).
 42. The device as claimed in claims 37, wherein the actuator device (13) is one of operated hydraulically, electrically and pneumatically.
 43. The device as claimed in claim 28, wherein a support device (19) is provided which pulls the receptacles (2) apart before the receptacles (2) are reset from the end position into the initial position.
 44. The device as claimed in claim 40, wherein one of the extension arms (16) and activation cylinders (21) are arranged in one or more of a rotatable and a slidable fashion at ends facing away from the receptacles (2).
 45. The device as claimed in claim 28, wherein the receptacles (2) which are arranged at a start and at an end of a plurality of receptacles (2) have a guide (20) at the longitudinal free end (4 a) of the second bottom surface (4).
 46. The device as claimed in claim 45, wherein the guide (20) is set back in a region in which the row (3) of split stones is inserted into the receptacle (2).
 47. The device as claimed in claim 29, wherein a pair (200) of receptacles is designed to hold two of the split stones (1) which have been produced from untreated stone.
 48. The device as claimed in claim 47, wherein the broken structure surfaces (1 a) of the split stones (1) are aligned with one another.
 49. The device as claimed in one of claims 41, wherein the receptacles (2) are provided with activation levers (22) for engaging one of an extension arm (16) and an activation cylinder (21).
 50. A device for tilting split stones, which have a broken structure on one surface, such that a surface of the split stone which is orientated laterally before a tilting process forms an upper side of the split stones after the tilting process, the device comprising: a channel-shaped receptacle (23) for a row (3) of split stones formed from one or more of the split stones (1), the row (3) of split stones moving from an inlet to an outlet through the channel-shaped receptacle (23), and walls (25) of the channel-shaped receptacle (23) extending in such that the split stones (1) tilt continuously from an initial position into a provided end position.
 51. The device as claimed in claim 50, wherein a plurality of channel-shaped receptacles (23) are provided. 52 A method for artificially aging split stones, comprising the steps of: splitting the stones (1) in a splitting process; feed the split stones into a device for tilting split stone, the device comprising at least one receptacle (2) for a row (3) of the split stones, the row (3) being formed from at least one the split stones (1), the at least one receptacle (2) having at least a first bottom surface (5) on which the row (3) of split stones rests in an initial position before the tilting process, and a second bottom surface (4) on which the row (3) of stones rests in an end position after the tilting process; a rotational axis (7) which extends essentially along a connecting point (6) between the first bottom surface (5) and the second bottom surface (4) and about which the receptacle (2) is rotated to tilt the split stones (1); and an actuator device (13) which is moved essentially linearly and which engages one of the first bottom surface (5) and the second bottom surface (4) in such a way that the receptacle (2) is rotated about the rotational axis (7) as a function of linear movement of the actuator device (13); allowing the device for tilting split stones to place the broken surface (1 a) of the split stone (1), produced by the splitting process and orientated laterally, in an upright position so that the broken surface (1 a) forms an upper side of the split stones (1); feeding the split stones (1) into an aging region in which the broken surface (1 a) facing upward is placed in contact with processing tools which act in an aging fashion on the broken surface (1 a) of the stones (1) facing upward.
 53. The method as claimed in claim 52, further comprising the step of embodying the processing tools as a plurality of essentially freely moving impacting elements, the split stones (1) and the impacting elements being made to move with respect to one another by initiation of vibrations such that the impacting elements act on the broken upper side (1 a) and adjoining edges of the split stones (1).
 54. The method as claimed in claim 53, further comprising the step of freely moving the impacting elements with a moveable attachment within a defined region of the broken upper side (1 a) of the split stones (1). 